SVO Blog

The SVO Blog is a place where I try to archive old SVO blogs and specific blog posts in an attempt to concentrate the best of the SVO web in one place. Where possible, the "Read More..." links at the bottom of each introduction are links to other web sites.

Single Tank Conversion

Details: Category: V-Blog; Created on Apr 2, 2011; Written by rickdatech

www.mercedessource.com - Mercedes diesel engines produced from the 1950s up to the late 1990's are well suited to run on straight vegetable oil (SVO).

Reflections on WVO

Details: Category: Engineer's Log; Created on Mar 10, 2009; Written by Dan H.

thinker The irony of wistfully writing about thoughts on used fryer oil is not escaping me.... but anyway.

Conversations lately inevitably begin with "Howz the car running?" My answer is typically "amazingly well" and I continue to talk, watching for the eye glazing to temper my answer. But here's the rub... it really does amaze me that after about 40,000 miles so far on WVO, I've not had a single issue related to using WVO as a fuel. In short, it works.

I continue to scan for driver reactions to my well-marked car and by and large I am met with indifference. There just doesn't seem to be many Fry-Geeks out there. Most interesting to me is the indifference met by Toyota Prius drivers. They just don't seem to notice another type of hybrid on the road which makes me ponder who they are and why they bought a hybrid.

There is one driver demographic that seems to be tuned to alternate fuels. Contrasting with the well-healed indifference of the Prius drivers, the Enthuse-O-Meter waves and thumbs up affirmations invariably come from the elements of society largely given to individualism. Those drivers of skanky, rusted out cars with the blanket tail falling out of the rust hole in their trunk seem to be a kindred spirit. I don't know if it is because they see a car powered by garbage as beating The Man, The System, or The Pocketbook but these kind folk ARE enthusiastic. The future of our energy independence rests with all of us changing our ideas on consumption and conservation. If my informal roadside survey is any indication, those having less to begin with have a jump start on all of us.

One Year on WVO

Details: Category: Engineer's Log; Created on Oct 22, 2008; Written by Dan H

This October marks my one year anniversary for running on waste vegetable oil.

Here's some stats:

Approximate gallons veg oil used: 500
Miles driven @ 45 MPG: 22,500
St of MN taxes paid on veg oil: $100
Gallons of diesel saved: 500
Cost equivalent: $1,825
Pounds of CO2 saved from entering atmosphere from fossil fuels: 11,200
Amount of human food displaced: Zero

People ask how the car is running and I am continually surprised by how well it continues to run on WVO. No smoking, hard starting, or rough running. No mechanical damage. Just a greasy garage and stained clothes mark this anniversary... along with a big smile.

Switchover times

Details: Category: Ray's E320 CDI; Created on Jun 18, 2008; Written by Ray

Bad news - the switchover times on this car are quite lengthy. This appears to be due to the common rail being thermally tied to the engine's head. With ambient temps at about 70*F, it takes me 11 miles / 20 minutes to get the returning diesel fuel temps up to 140*F. The coolant is at full temperature at about 4-5 minutes, but the entire engine takes much longer to heat up.

A block heater or some type of aux 120v coolant heater should help, and that's my plan of action going forward.

Why I Drive on WVO

Details: Category: V-Blog; Created on Jun 2, 2008; Written by Rickdatech

This documentary is about Athens, Ohio resident, Sam Girton, using waste vegetable oil to fuel his diesel Mercedes.

Fat of the Land

Details: Category: Engineer's Log; Created on Jul 12, 2008; Written by Dan H.

lard Since I'm working with oil so much, I needed to find out for myself what exactly a trans fat is... and the answer is actually simple and interesting! Trans fats are by-and-large, man-made fats produced by hydrogenating vegetable oil to make it more solid, like Crisco. Trans fats are now the culprit in raising the level of the BAD cholesterol, LDL, so they are something to be avoided. Anything made with 'partially hydrogenated vegetable oil' has trans fat. Interestingly, pork lard, beef tallow, butter and other animal fats are very low in trans fats. Current science is saying it is healthier to eat lard than a hydrogenated vegetable oil, so enjoy those pie crusts made with real lard. Just be aware that the square package of lard sold in the grocery store is likely a HYDROGENATED lard and would not have a health advantage. Time to get to know the local butcher and get some real rendered lard that is not commercially hydrogenated.

Tax Man Cometh

Details: Category: Engineer's Log; Created on Jun 18, 2008; Written by Dan H.

There are times you don't want a letter from the Department of Revenue appearing in your mailbox but this one has a good ending. From day one of starting my veg oil car, I knew I would be high profile and attract attention both wanted and perhaps unwanted. In my (rather obsessive) research, I had found out that "organic fuel" users in Minnesota must pay the current fuel excise tax for every gallon of home-made fuel they put in their tank. Okaaaaay.... hmmm. I won't debate whether this is right or not, at least not now, but I started sending off quarterly checks to the Department of Revenue along with my form ORG-1 for the fuel I made and used from the very begining. Currently MN requires $0.20 per gallon excise tax and this is increasing slightly in the coming months.

Tank Time

Details: Category: Jake's 99 E300D; Created on Jan 8, 2012; Written by Jake

I spent most of Saturday finishing up my workbenches and sorting through my piles of bric-a-brac before starting on the Benz.

Chris MacKenzie stopped by with his 99 Jetta for a few hours, and we ran his lines from the engine compartment to the trunk. Pretty slick. His car was a collisions "rebuild" so, it doesn't have the airbag trigger along the inside rocker.

Anyway, I finally started on the Benz. Pulled the carpet & diesel tank cover in the trunk, and started mocking up my tank. I want to maximize height to save on depth, because it's already a bit cramped back there. Also had to work around the spare tire. According to my calculations (caution: palmer used a calculator again), this tank will be good for ~115liters.

Started Shopping

Details: Category: Jake's 99 E300D; Created on Jan 17, 2008; Written by Jake

Thursday, January 17, 2008 Started shopping!

As soon as I had the car in the yard, I started mapping out what I needed for this conversion. Early on, I emailed Craig Reece (PlantDrive.com) and Ed Beggs (PlantDrive.ca), because I knew they had a couple of these conversions under their belts. I also knew, from past experience, that they are the go-to guys when it comes to timely, helpful advice. Over time, you learn to "go with what you know". For that reason, I decided to get all my components through PlantDrive.

Break Even point

Details: Category: Engineer's Log; Created on May 23, 2008; Written by Dan H.

Cool. This month marks my conversion cost break-even point point! I started in October '07 and have now filtered and nearly used about 250 gallons of veg oil. This puts me over the $1000 mark for fuel costs saved, which is about what my conversion cost.

I'm left with these reflections... First off, with the right conversion components, WVO can really work in a very cold climate. I've been impressed at how much of the time I can really run on WVO, despite sub-zero (F) temps.

SVO Forums

SVO Links